BLOOD VOLUME ALTERATIONS IN CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE

Abstract

A considerable body of data indicates that the plasma volume, as measured by dye dilution meth- ods, is generally increased in congestive heart fail- ure (1-4). However, recent investigations, utiliz- ing p82 (5, 6) or Cr51 (7) tagged red cells, indicate that there is little or no increase in total blood vol- ume, plasma volume, or red cell volume in most cases of heart failure.